Now in Paperback! And I’m giving a copy away.
UDATE! THE PAPERBACK EDITION OF THIS BOOK IS PUBLISHED TODAY.
THE WINNER OF THIS GIVEAWAY IS MARY KAY HARLAN. MKH: I WILL BE CONTACTING YOU SHORTLY.
If you didn’t win, consider purchasing this book all the same–it’s truly a wonderful read for anyone who loves France and food.
Original post:
Have you read Ann Mah’s Mastering the Art of French Eating?
To enter the giveaway, all you need do is “like” this post (see that little “like” button up there on the left? Just click on it!). Then, post a comment below, telling me:
1. That you’ve “liked” this post (otherwise, I won’t know!).
2. Which recipe you’d like to make from the book (see below).
On October 28, I will randomly choose a winner from among the comments.
In case you’re not familiar with this book, here are a few excerpts from my review that originally appeared on the BonjourParis.com website:
Author Ann Mah and her husband, Calvin, get oh-so close to living the dream: His career as a diplomat lands them a 3-year stint in Paris. Hardly have they unpacked, however, when the couple get the call: Calvin is assigned a one-year post in Iraq; spouses are not to follow. With few friends and not a whole lot to do, Mah, a novelist and food and travel writer, finds herself alone in the city she had dreamed of savoring à deux.
Soon, the weight of solitude bears down on Mah. To combat her sadness, Mah gives herself an assignment: She’ll crisscross France, seeking out the stories behind the country’s most famous regional dishes, from choucroute in the northeast to cassoulet in the Southwest; from crêpes in Brittany to soup au pistou in Provence.
Ann Mah, author of Mastering the Art of French Eating
We travel alongside Mah as she meets chefs, farmers, and restaurateurs, picking up history, insights, and cooking tips along the way. She uncovers nuggets that even veteran American Francophiles may not know (such as, for example, that the Aveyronnais are responsible for the proliferation of the Parisian cafés).
You’ll love the fresh, vivid ways in which she describes touchstones of our Francophilia. When a waiter in Burgundy rattles off the region’s famed wines that are served by the glass, “It felt like a celebrity sighting.” Brittany’s cooks recite crêpe recipes from memory, “like a favorite poem or prayer,” while their buckwheat crêpes resemble “dark, shining lace…against clean white porcelain.” Again and again Mah reminds us why we love France, from “surprise glimpses of Notre Dame caught from the bus,” to “the small cups of coffee garnished with a paper-wrapped sugar cube” at the café.
Each chapter revolves around a signature dish from a specific region. Mah tells history and lore about the recipe, as well as her own story of how she cajoled the recipe from those who held its secrets. And of course, she gives the recipes themselves:
• Steak Frites from Paris
• Andouillette from Troyes
• Crêpes from Brittany
• Salade Lyonnaise from Lyon
• Soup au Pistou from Provence
• Cassoulet from Toulouse, Castelnaudary, Carcassonne
• Choucroute Garnie from Alsace
• Fondue from Savoie and the Haut-Savoie
• Boeuf Bourguignon from you-know-where
• Aligot from the Aveyron
Which recipe intrigues you most? Post below to enter in my drawing. And thanks!
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher; however, I was not obligated to cover it in any way.
When I saw this book, I had to buy it as a gift for my friends . They love it. It’s wonderful and I have been wanting one ever since. I’d like to make the cassoulet from Toulouse, Castelnaudary, Carcaussonne
I haven’t had the opportunity to travel much in France beyond Paris so the recipe that intrigues me most is steak frites. I was just talking with my husband about this simple satisfying dish last night so I would love to read more about its history. Thanks for the opportunity.
Great give-away. I would love to have a copy. We’re off to France next year and this would be a great read. I “liked” it and am crossing my fingers I will win.
Sam
Well.. I am not familiar with this book. But since I really, really like your recipes and books, I’ll take your word for this book being one not to miss. So.. here’s my vote (and my name in for the drawing!), hoping I’ll win a free chance to claim this cookbook.
As for recipe I’d like to make, hmmm…. probably would most like to make Ann Mah’s recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon.
Thanks….
I liked your post. I’d try and make the Boeuf Bourguignon (from you-know-where).
Loved the post, looking forward to an authentic recipe for cassoulet.
I am impressed that all my favorite cooks/chefs reviewed her book on Amazon. I would make Cassoulet from Toulouse, Castelnaudary, Carcassonne or Boeuf Bourguignon. I already have your crêpe recipe which I am perfectly satisfied for this be my go-to crêpe recipe. I don’t think it can be improved, unless you say otherwise.
Madonna
Boeuf Bourguignon from you-know-where
Hi Wini ~ I would make the Boeuf Bourguignon from you-know-where. Our wine club hostess this month made her version and I’d like to try my own. 🙂 ~Connie
I am so excited about this book! The first recipe that I plan to try is the cassoulet and hopefully it will be cool enough to be able to enjoy dinner outdoors…
Like the post and I’d make the Cassoulet….love to win! Thanks for the opportunity. I give your Bonne Femme cookbook to my events clients as a thank you and point them to your blog…love it!
Liked the post–and would love to have you make the cassoulet! Yum!
I liked the post and I love all things French, especially the food. I am looking forward to her recipe for Steak Frites and I always love a good Boeuf Bourguignon. I love reading cookbooks and it makes it so much more enjoyable when the author shares extra details about the foods and region. This sounds like it will be a great book!
i would love to try the crepe recipe!
PS I liked the post
I liked your post! I want to make the cassoulet recipe in my All-Clad Slow Cooker! I miss France so very much! And love your posts, Wini! And I miss YOU.
Love your blog!!! I am intrigued by the Aligot recipe.
Sounds like a great book.
I’m drooling just reading about this book! I have liked the post. I would probably start with the buckwheat crepes but they all sound divine!
I have liked this post and hope I win the book so I can make the crepes from Brittany. Yum!
I liked the post and I think I would make Aligot – since I have no idea what it is! Sounds like a great book!
The book is so interesting! I’d love to read about and try an authentic for the cassoulet!
Gotta be fondu!
All of them! 🙂
Would love to give this to my sister and brother-in-law for christmas! They live in paris now.
I liked this post. I would like to make the cassoulet from Toulouse.
I love crepes, so I’d try the crepes recipe. Not to mention, my husband’s cousin is marrying near St Malo this summer; we hope to attend, finances permitting.
I liked the post, and would like to make crepes!
I am not familiar with this book, but would like to make the Cassoulet (and everything else!)
I lwould love this book. I envIsion many a romantic evening with candlelit dinners with my handsome honey. Inwouldmstart with steak frites.
I would like to make the pistou from Provence as I remember eating this at a little bistro with the waiter being so kind and showing me how to eat it. Lots of fun. Of course I would like to make the cassoulet also and maybe the crepes,then the steak frites, then beef bourgondie then….
I don’t just like this post, I love it. It was too hard to choose so I let my husband. He wants steak fries!
Liked this post plus your post on FB. If fortunate enough to be selected, I would love to try the Salade Lyonnaise.
I liked it! And I would make • Andouillette from Troyes. We stayed there on our honeymoon and had a less than great experience. Perhaps this would redeem my opinion of Troyes.
I loved this book – felt like I was sitting across a table from Ann having a friendly chat all the way through. Learned many interesting facts about some of the foods from different areas. I’d love to make the cassoulet – one of my favorite foods.
I love everything about France, especially the food! So difficult to choose just one, but nobody does Steak Frites like the Parisians, so I would start with that one.
• Soup au Pistou from Provence. I never tasted it but they say it must be really good…
Boeuf Bourguiguon pour moi!
Hello Wini! I have ‘Liked’ your article, and I would LOVE this book! Pick me, Pick me! As for the recipe – well, all of them of course! But right now, as the weather here has turned to the chillier side of autumn, I’m dreaming of the aromas of wonderful, slow-cooked dishes full of comforting goodness, so the cassoulet is tops on my mind right now … and this book has not one, but THREE Cassoulet recipes – from Toulouse, Castelnaudary, Carcassonne ?? How wonderful it would be to make all three and compare them … and savor them …
I liked the page.
I would like to attempt crepes as soon as my kitchen get put back together and I have figured out induction cooking.
The Aligot, for sure! It was served to six of us friends in Montpellier with lots of theatrics thrown in for good measure!! Such a wonderful memory of a great trip…
Liked!
Sounds like a delicious read!! I cannot wait to get my hands on the recipe for Cassoulet from Toulouse…something I’ve tried before, and failed miserably at so many times!
Crepes! I just love them! Thank you for this opportunity!
I’ve been wanting this book since it first came out! The Soup au Pistou from Provence would be great today. It’s chilly here!
First, love to make the cassoulet if I could make (takes too long) or buy the confit of duck beforehand. Second, if I could buy the proper andouilette sausages in NYC, I would just grill them then serve them with frites and salade. Love andouillette since I love mystery meats even if I already know what’s in it.
Just came back from two weeks visit of Paris and the Loire Valley. I drank and ate my way through the regions but did not have andouilette hence now I am salivating for one.
Thanks, Ann, for this opportunity.
Cassoulet from Toulouse would be my first recipe to try! I’ve eaten it only in restaurants, and it’s time to try it out and fill the house with that delicious fragrance.
Definitely the crepes from Brittany! They’re my favorite thing to eat when I’m in France.
I liked the post, and I like the sound of the book, especially the recipes for Crepes! That’s what I would like to try, though my husband would like something meatier…maybe the Beef B. (not gonna try to spell that properly!)
Fall has begun in the Pacific Northwest, so I’m thinking the soup au pistou would be a welcome recipe to have on hand.
At the end of August, my husband and I biked from Paris to London via L’Avenue Verte with Verde Natura (an Italian bike tour company). Highly recommend this company and their self-guided and guided tours.
We had just enough time in Paris to take in a few sights and to take Lisa’s “Flavors of Paris,” tour . . . also highly recommended. The Promenade Plantée (aka la Coulée Verte) is a lovely elevated walkway that is FREE and well worth the couple of hours it takes to stroll to le grand lac in Le Bois de Vincennes!
Thanks for the give away 🙂
I have liked the post, the recipe I prefer is Andouillettes from Troyes
Dear Ann
It was easy to like this because I’m a big fan. I like the Crepes from Brittany because I adore crepes. Thank you for your wonderful recipes.
Best,Tracey
I liked your post! I would make the Salade Lyonnaise, because everything is better with bacon! 🙂
Not to mention a fried or poached egg! 🙂
I need to master aligot which we loved in the Aveyron. It was beyond tasty. I would love this book.
I have also liked your post.
Hi Wini,
I just “Liked” this post and would like to make the Crepes from Brittany.
Thanks,
Fred
Looks fab!! Am sure all the recipes would be fun…but have always wanted to make cassoulet and the aligot! Mashed potatoes with cheese?! I need to know how to make that. Oolala!
I “liked” Digicats@sbcglobal.net(Carolsue Anderson)
The recipe from the book I would most like to make is Cassoulet de Castelnaudry
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
Hi Wini,
So glad I stumbled on your website. Now I feel less guilty as I took a little break from work. The reason I feel less guilty, is that having lived in France for three years (Orleans) and now I live in Spain (Salamanca), I feel through you I have honoured my ex-country by promising to cook more it’s amazing food. Ok, that was pure waffle. I love cooking and eating good food!
I have clicked like and I would like to make all the recipes because I am greedy.
Thanks!
Suzanne.
I’m itching for the release, your excerpt story is touching and heartfelt!
I’ve “liked” your post, and excited to make Salade Lyonnaise! This cookbook is a MUST for my collection, I would so love to have it.
Thank you for this wonderful offer!
Debbie, of Who Moved My Coconut Oil
I liked your post. I’ve always wanted to try Boeuf Bourguignon and definitely the steak frites!!
I liked your post. Definitely want to try the Boeuf Bourguignon and Steak frites!!!
I liked your post and shared it on Facebook. Now that the weather has cooled, I would love to try the cassoulet.
Sam
I would love to win a copy of this book to give to my husband. The first thing we’d make would be the soup au pisou from Provence. Sounds delicious.
The cassoulet, of course!
It’s cassoulet weather, for sure!
I just finished reading this book from the library, SO GOOD! I want a copy of my own to make cassoulet!
This would be a great addition to my French book collection:)
nobody can cook the perfect steak frites like the French!